Unwinding machine



Nov. 5, 1940.

H. w. GILBERT 2,220,230

UNWINDING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l H.-WALTER yILBERT BY W ATTORN INVENTOR.

Nov. 5, 1940. H. w. GILBERT 2,220,230

UNWINDING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY WHWHLTER Iu-BERT W'ITORNEY. I

Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

4 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an unwinding machine.

The invention has for an object the construction of an unwinding machine intended for piece goods and materials and characterized by the provision of a roller for guiding the web coming of! the roll of material irrespective of the width of the roll.

Still further the invention proposes a novel arrangement for supporting said roll in the vicinity of said roller.

As another object of the invention it is proposed to provide auxiliary side members cooperative with certain side supports of the unwinding machine and provided with parts adapted to support a roll of material for unwinding.

Still further the invention proposes an unwinding machine of novel design.

20 Another object of the invention is the construction of a machine as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention,

25 and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an unwinding machine constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view looking in the direction of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line ll of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with additional parts applied.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the 5 line 6-8 of Fig. 5. v

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on 50 theline 8-8 ofFig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of an unwinding machine constructed according to an- 5 other form of this invention.

Fig. 11 is an end elevational view looking in the direction of the line I I-ll of Fig. 10.

The unwinding machine, according to this invention, includes a pair of spaced side supports I 0 for resting upon a counter, table or the like, 5 and having. semicircular top edges Illa. A rod II is fixedly mounted across the rear ends of the edges Illa and has projecting end portions Ha.

A tube I2 is mounted between the front ends of the edges Illa. This tube is shown held in position by nuts l3 threadedly engaged on the ends thereof and abutting the faces of the side .supports Ill. The rod II is secured upon the side supports ID by welding, brazing, or the like.

A plurality of rollers I4 is mounted between the side supports l0 and project slightly above the said semi-annular top edges tile for support ing a roll of material, indicated by the dot and dash lines l5. These rollers II are arranged so that there is a bottom pair straddling the longitudinal center of the side supports in and additional rollers extending upwards between the rear arms of the side supports. In all, there are four rollers in the particular design illustrated on the .drawings. I 1

End wall members l6 extend forwards and rearwards and are disposed to the outer faces of the said side supports III and at their rear ends' are formed with socket portions H which are slidably mounted on the projecting end portions Ha. Rods I 8 are mounted upon the front ends of the end wall members I6 and these rods slidably engage into the tube l2 so as to be extendable and retractable therein. Each socket I] is provided with a clamp screw l9 which may be turned in to engage the rod ii for fixedly locking the side wall members in position.

Brackets 20 are fixedly mounted on the ends'of the projecting end portions Ha, preferably by 40 pins 2| which engage through these parts. These brackets 20 extend upwards. A roller 22 is supported between the brackets 20 and is located immediately above the first-mentioned rod Ii. Preferably, the rollers l4 and 22 are provided with ball bearings so that they may rotate freely. The operation, of the device is as follows:

The end wall members l6 may be pulled outwards or pushed inwards to adapt the unwinding machine to a given roll of material l5. The roll of material I5 is placed upon the rollers H as indicated by the dot and dash lines I! in Figs. 1" and 2. The end of the web of the roll of material, indicated by reference numeral Ila, is

extended over the top of the roller 22. Since this roller 22 is substantially the same length as the length of the rod i I it will be adapted to engage the web portions of rolls of materials of various sizes. The roller 22 facilitates the drawing ofi of the web and thus the unwinding of the roll ofmaterial.

In Figs. 5 and 6 another embodiment of the device has been disclosed in which fiat members 23 are-releasably attached upon the outer faces of the side members l0 and have projecting arms 23a supporting a roll holding device as hereinafter more fully explained. Each flat member 23 is formed with rib portions 23b to reinforce and stifl'en the same. Each flat member 23 has hook elements 24 on diametrically opposite sides engageable with fastening elements 23 mounted upon the side members l3. These fastening elements comprise studs and wing locking nuts. The locking nuts may be turned to hold the flat members in position, or they may be loosened and the flat members lifted out.

One of the flat members 23 is provided with a socket 23 at its upper end. This socket supports a rod 21 which may be clamped in various extended positions by a set screw 23. The inner end of the rod 21 is provided with a rotative turning head 29 adapted to engage into one of the sides of a roll of silk or other material, indicated by the dot and dash lines 30.

The other flat member 23 is provided with an offset bracket 3|. A rod 32 engages through the offset bracket 3| and through the upper end of the flat member and at its inner end is provided with a complementary rotative head 33. This head 33 is adapted to engage the other side of the roll of material 33 for holding the same in position. A collar 34 is fixedlymounted on the rod 32 by a clamp screw 33. A spring 33 acts between the collar 34 and the bracket 3| for normally resiliently urging the rod 32 inwards against the material 30.

Rolls of material 30 of different widths may be mounted upon the heads 23 and 33 merely by adjusting the rods 21 and 32 to accommodate the same. This permits unwinding of rolls of silk of different widths.

1 In Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive another embodiment of the invention has been disclosed which distinguishes from the prior form in the fact that a novel arrangement has been provided for removably mounting the roller 22 in position above the rod II. For this purpose a bracket 23 is mounted upon each end of the rod H and supports the roller 22 in a particular manner. Each bracket 23' is formed with a hub portion 33 rotative on the projecting end portion Ila. A pintle screw 33 projects from the end portion Na and engages into a helical groove 43 formed in the hub portion 38. A spring 4| is coaxially mounted on the projecting end Ila and has one end attached to the hub 33 and the other end to a head element 42 fixedly mounted on the extreme end of the projecting end Ila. The spring 4| normally turns the bracket 23 rearwards so that it assumes a vertical position bythe end of the helical groove 43 striking the pintle 33.

The roller 22 is mounted between the upper ends of the brackets 23'. The roller 22 is supported upon the brackets by reason of having end portions 22a which engage into receiving open ings formed on the adjacent faces of the brackets. The roller 22 may be removed by pulling the same forwards so as to simultaneously pivot the brackets 20 forwards against the restraining action of the springs 4|. As the brackets 23' move forwards they will be simultaneously moved apart because of the pintles 33 working in the helical grooves 43. This separation of the brackets will cause the end portions 22a to come out from the upper ends of the brackets and so the roller 22 is freed. This permits an exchange of rollers, repairs and the like.

In Figs. 10 and 11 another embodiment of the invention has been disclosed. In this form of the invention the unwinding machine includes a pair of spaced side supports 43 for resting on a counter, table or the like and having semi-circular top edges 43a. End walls 43 extend forwards and rearwards and are disposed to the outer faces of the side supports and have bifurcated upper ends 41. These end supports also have central support feet 48 also adapted to rest upon the counter, table or the like. The side supports 43 are held in fixed positions by tubes 49 which are mounted between the side supports. Each tube 43 is secured in position by nuts 33 which are threadediy mounted thereon and which engage opposite sides of the side supports. Rods 3| slidably engage into the ends of the tubes 43 and rigidly connect with the end walls 43. A rod 32 for supporting a roll of cloth, indicated by the dot and dash lines 33, is mounted between the bifurcated ends 41. The rod 32 is provided with a blade 34 enga'geable into one of the ends of the roll of cloth for non-rotatively connecting the roll with the rod 32. One of the bifurcated ends, indicated by numeral 41', is a separate piece having a bottom peg 410. by which it is swivelly mounted on the end wall 43. This permits the remote end of the rod 32 to be swung off the remote bicurcated end 41 during engagement of the roll 33 thereon. a

The end walls 43 may be pulled out or moved inwards to adjust the unwinding machine for a roll of a desired width. The roll is then supported between the bifurcated ends and may be unwound as desired.

.While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularlity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. I therefor reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing c from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An unwinding machine, comprising a pair of spaced side supports for resting on a counter, table or the like and having semi-annular top edges, a rod mounted across the rear ends of said edges to extend between the supports and having end portions projecting outwardly beyond the. supports, a tube mounted between the front ends of said edges, a plurality of rollers mounted between said side supports and projecting slightly above said semi-annular top edges for supporting a roll of material, end wall members extending forwards and rearwards and disposed outwards of the outer faces of said side supports and at their rear ends slidably mounted on said projecting end portions, rods mounted on the front ends of said end wall members and slidably engaging in said tube so as to be extendable from the ends of said tube, brackets mounted on the ends of said projecting end portions and extending upwards; and a roller mounted between said brackets and above said first-mentioned rod. v A

2. An unwinding machine, comprising a pair of spaced side supports for resting on a counter, table or the like and having semi-annular top edges, a rod mounted across the rear ends of said edges to extend between the supports and having end portions projecting outwardly beyond the supports, a tube mounted between the front ends of said edges, a plurality of rollers mounted between said side supports and projecting slightly above said semi-annular top edges for supporting a roll of material, end wall members extending forwards and rearwards and disposed outwards of the outer faces of said side supports and at their rear ends slidably mounted on said projecting end portions, rods mounted on the front ends of said end wall members and slidably engaging in said tube so as to be extendable from the ends of said tube, brackets with hub portions having helical grooves and turnably mounted on the ends of said projecting end portions and normally extending upwards, a roller mounted between and having its end portions engaging said brackets and normally disposed above said first-mentioned rod, pintles mounted on said projecting end portions and engaging said helical grooves, and resilient means for holding the brackets in said normally upwardly extending position, whereby when said latter mentioned roller is moved forwards, said brackets will turn and separate releasing said roller.

3. An unwinding machine, comprising a pair of spaced side supports for resting on a counter, table or the like and having semi-annular top edges, 2. rod mounted across the rear ends of said edges to extend between the supports and having end portions projecting outwardly beyond the supports, a tube mounted between the front ends of said edges, a plurality of rollers mounted between said side supports and projecting slightly above said semi-annular top edges for supporting a roll of material, end wall members extending forwards and rearwards and disposed outwards of the outer faces of said side supports and at their rear ends slidably mounted on said projecting end portions, rods mounted on the front ends of said end wall members and slidably engaging in said tube so as to be extendable from the ends of said tube, brackets with hub portions having helical grooves and turnably mounted on the ends of said projecting end portions and normally extending upwards, a roller mounted between and having its end portions engaging said brackets and normally disposed above said first-mentioned rod, pintles mounted on said projecting end portions and engaging said helical grooves, and resilient means for holding the brackets in said normally upwardly extending position, whereby when said latter mentioned roller is moved forwards, said brackets will turnand separate releasing said roller, said resilient means including elements fixedly mounted on said projecting end portions, springs coaxial on said projecting end portions and having one end of each connected with one of the brackets and their other ends connected with said elements.

H. WALTER GILBERT. 

